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Resolving GPS Issues in Magic Earth

If Magic Earth is having difficulty determining your location or the navigation feels unresponsive, it is usually due to a communication gap between your device and the GPS satellites. This guide provides easy-to-follow steps to ensure your hardware and software are synchronized for an optimal navigation experience.

Enable Location Services

The location tracker is shown on the map only after pressing the follow position button, located in the bottom right corner of the screen. If this button is red, it means that the location services are disabled. If the button is blue, it means that the location service is active and the app should have location available.

Magic Earth does not have location services enabled. Please click this button to enable the services and grant permission if requested	Magic Earth should have location services enabled. You should see your position on the map and have access to navigation

Tap the button to enable location services and allow Magic Earth to access your location. When you press the button first time, you will be prompted to grant location permissions to Magic Earth. Make sure to allow access to your location for the app to function properly. If the location services are disabled, Magic Earth will not be able to determine your position, only simulation mode is enabled and the "My Location" menu item will be unavailable.

Signal & Environment

GPS technology requires a clear line of sight to satellites in orbit. Physical barriers are the most common cause of GPS related issues.

• Establish a Clear View: GPS signals cannot penetrate solid concrete or metal. If you are indoors or in an underground parking garage, move to an open outdoor area. After a few moments in the open, your device should reacquire the GPS signal and update your location on the map.
• Check for Urban Canyons: Tall buildings can cause signals to bounce, leading to "position drift." If your position tracker is jumping, try moving away from high-rise structures.

Essential Device Settings

Your phone’s operating system may be limiting Magic Earth's access to location data to save battery life.

• Enable Precise Location:
  • iOS: Go to Settings > Magic Earth > Location. Ensure Precise Location is toggled ON.
  • Android: Go to Settings > Apps > Magic Earth > Permissions > Location. Select "Use precise location."
• Grant "Location Always" Permission: For consistent tracking especially when using Magic Earth in the background or with the screen off—set Location Access to "Always Allow." On Android, it is also needed to grant permission for notifications for the app to work correctly in the background.
• Disable Power Saving Mode: Battery savers often throttle the GPS sensor to extend battery life. For the best navigation performance, turn off Low Power Mode (iOS) or Battery Saver (Android) while driving and make sure that Magic Earth is excluded from any battery optimization settings.
• Automatic Date & Time: GPS relies on perfect time synchronization. Ensure your device time is set to "Set Automatically" under your Date & Time settings.

Refreshing the Connection

If the GPS in the app seems unresponsive, a quick reset of your phone's sensors can often resolve the issue.

• The Airplane Mode Refresh: Toggle Airplane Mode ON for 10 seconds and then OFF. This forces your phone to reconnect to cellular towers and GPS satellites.
• Calibrate the Compass: If the direction of the arrow in Magic Earth is pointing the wrong way, hold your phone and move it in a large "figure-8" motion in the air. This recalibrates the internal magnetic sensor.

Notes

• During navigation, the signal is much more stable because the app is using the route, sensors and the road network to determine the current position more accurately. If you are just exploring the map, the position may be less accurate and more prone to drifting.
• Some applications also use Wi-Fi and cellular data to assist with location tracking, but we avoid such methods to ensure the best possible privacy for our users.
• If these steps do not resolve the problem, it may be a specific hardware or software conflict. You can send a diagnostic log directly to the support team by going to Settings > Send Feedback and explaining the issue inside the mail. This will help us identify and fix the problem in future updates.